Zachary Cruz, 18, smiles during a hearing at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. on Friday. (Amy Beth Bennett/AP)

The brother of Parkland school shooter Nikolas Cruz claims the accused killer was a "very fragile person."

Zachary Cruz, 18, also told the Palm Beach Post that he was "too hard" on his brother. "(Nikolas) is a very fragile person and my mom was always there for him," he said.

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Nikolas, 19, is charged with 17 counts of first-degree murder for the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Feb. 14. He also faces the death penalty.

Since their adoptive parents died, the brothers had been living in separate homes. But Zachary Cruz remembers they used to be close when they lived together.

"We got along in the household, we would go out and hang at the pool, walk the dogs, and we used to do normal brother stuff together at home," said Zachary Cruz, who was arrested March 19 for trespassing on the grounds of the school his brother had shot up.

On Friday, a Broward County judge granted Zachary Cruz's probation relocation to Virginia where he'll be under the supervision of Nexus Services, a company that helps offenders get back on their feet.

Nikolas Cruz, 19, was charged with 17 counts of first-degree murder for the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland on Feb. 14. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun-Sentinel/AP)

The group has also set him up with a job and a rent-free apartment. Cruz embarked on the 13-hour drive up north Sunday.

After Zachary Cruz was arrested, he told deputies he was there to "reflect" on the school shooting his older brother had carried out, officials said.

He was arrested again for violating his probation and released from jail on May 3.

Zachary Cruz said he's ready to start a new life miles away from Florida.

"I want to just finish high school," he told the Palm Beach Post. "After that, I want to do anything I want to do."